Optically transparent electromagnetic interference (EMI) shields for direct-view displays

• US 7,420,742 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2006
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bright View Technologies Corporation (Tredegar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bright View Technologies, Inc. (Tredegar Corporation)
• Inventors: Wood, Robert L., Reed, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sugarman; Scott J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Greece; James R
• Application Number:
  US11/378,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20070127129A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 313/10, 349/95, 359/619, 174/32, 174/350, 174/355, 174/357, 174/358
• US Class Current: 359/619
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 11/10 AC-PDPs with at least one main electrode being out of contact with the plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 11/44 Optical arrangements or shielding arrangements, e.g. filters, black matrices, light reflecting means or electromagnetic shielding means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2211/446 Electromagnetic shielding means; Antistatic means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2329/869 Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 29/867 Means associated with the outside of the vessel for shielding, e.g. magnetic shields screens for shielding inside the vessel H01J29/06; magnetic shielding in general H05K9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 31/123 Flat display tubes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/0054 specially adapted for display applications

Abstract

Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) shields for a direct-view display having a direct-view display panel and an outer panel that provides an outer surface for the direct-view display. These EMI shields include a conductive mesh having an array of gaps therein. The conductive mesh is configured to shield at least some of the EMI that is emitted by the direct-view display panel. An optical redirecting structure is also included, that is configured to redirect at least some optical radiation that is emitted from the direct-view display panel that would strike the conductive mesh, through the gaps in the conductive mesh. The EMI shield is configured to mount between the direct-view display panel and the outer panel such that the optical redirecting structure is adjacent the direct-view display panel and the conductive mesh is remote from the direct-view display panel.

Claims

1. An Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) shield and contrast enhancement film for a direct-view display having a direct-view display panel and an outer panel that provides an outer surface for the direct-view display;

the EMI shield comprising;

a conductive mesh including an array of gaps therein, the conductive mesh configured to shield at least some of the EMI that is emitted by the direct-view display panel; and

an optical redirecting structure that is configured to redirect at least some optical radiation that is emitted from the direct-view display panel that would strike the conductive mesh, through the gaps in the conductive mesh;

the EMI shield being configured to mount between the direct-view display panel and the outer panel such that the optical redirecting structure is adjacent the direct-view display panel and the conductive mesh is remote from the direct-view display panel; and

the contrast enhancement film comprising;

a substrate having first and second opposing sides;

an array of optical microstructures on the first side of the substrate; and

an optically blocking film including an array of apertures therein on the second side of the substrate, the contrast enhancement film being configured to mount between the direct-view display panel and the outer panel.

2. An EMI shield and contrast enhancement film according to claim 1 wherein the optical redirecting structure comprises an array of optical microstructures.

3. An EMI shield and contrast enhancement film according to claim 2 wherein the array of optical microstructures defines a nonplanar surface, the EMI shield further comprising:

a cladding layer on the nonplanar surface of the optical microstructures, the cladding layer including a planar surface opposite the nonplanar surface of the optical microstructures.

4. An EMI shield and contrast enhancement film according to claim 3 wherein the cladding layer has different index of refraction than the optical microstructures.

5. An EMI shield and contrast enhancement film according to claim 3 further comprising:

a substrate having first and second opposing sides, wherein the array of optical microstructures is on the first side of the substrate and wherein the conductive mesh is on the second side of the substrate;

a bonding substrate on the cladding layer opposite the substrate; and

an adhesive layer on the bonding substrate that is configured to mount the EMI shield between the direct-view display panel and the outer panel.

6. An EMI shield and contrast enhancement film according to claim 2 further comprising:

a substrate having first and second opposing sides;

wherein the array of optical microstructures is on the first side of the substrate; and

wherein the conductive mesh is on the second side of the substrate.

7. An EMI shield and contrast enhancement film according to claim 6 further comprising:

a bonding substrate on the array of optical microstructures opposite the substrate; and

an adhesive layer on the bonding substrate that is configured to mount the EMI shield between the direct-view display panel and the outer panel.

8. An EMI shield and contrast enhancement film according to claim 2 wherein the array of optical microstructures includes an adhesive surface that is configured to mount the EMI shield between the direct-view display panel and the outer panel.

9. An EMI shield and contrast enhancement film according to claim 1 further comprising an adhesive layer that is configured to mount the EMI shield and contrast enhancement film between the direct-view display panel and the outer panel.

10. An EMI shield and contrast enhancement film according to claim 1 wherein the direct-view display panel is a plasma or cathode ray tube display panel.

11. An EMI shield and contrast enhancement film according to claim 1 in combination with the direct-view display panel and the outer panel that provides an outer surface for the direct-view display, wherein the EMI shield and contrast enhancement film are mounted between the direct-view display panel and the outer panel.

12. An EMI shield and contrast enhancement film according to claim 1 wherein the conductive mesh includes a different ratio of gap area to mesh area than a ratio of aperture area to optically blocking film area in the contrast enhancement film.

13. An EMI shield and contrast enhancement film according to claim 1 wherein the conductive mesh includes a larger ratio of gap area to mesh area than a ratio of aperture area to optically blocking film area in the contrast enhancement film.

14. An EMI shield and contrast enhancement film according to claim 1 wherein the EMI shield is on the direct-view display panel and wherein the contrast enhancement film is on the EMI shield remote from the direct-view display panel.

15. An EMI shield and contrast enhancement film according to claim 1 wherein the contrast enhancement film is on the direct-view display panel and wherein the EMI shield is on the contrast enhancement film remote from the direct-view display panel.

16. An EMI shield and contrast enhancement film according to claim 1 wherein the optically blocking film comprises an electrically conductive film.

17. An EMI shield and contrast enhancement film according to claim 16 wherein the one of the conductive mesh or the electrically conductive film consists of an array of horizontally oriented conductors and the other of the conductive mesh or the electrically conductive film consists of an array of vertically oriented conductors.

18. An EMI shield and contrast enhancement film according to claim 17 wherein the array of horizontally oriented conductors and/or the array of vertically oriented conductors comprise an array of multilayer conductors including a base conductor layer and an overlayer conductor layer.

19. An EMI shield and contrast enhancement film according to claim 18 wherein the base conductor layer is a plating base conductor layer and wherein the overlayer conductor layer is a plated conductor overlayer.

20. An EMI shield and contrast enhancement film according to claim 1 wherein the conductive mesh consists of an array of horizontally oriented conductors or an array of vertically oriented conductors.

21. An EMI shield and contrast enhancement film according to claim 1 wherein the conductive mesh comprises a base conductive layer and an overlayer conductive layer.

22. An EMI shield and contrast enhancement film according to claim 21 wherein the base conductive layer is a plating base conductive layer and wherein the overlayer conductive layer is a plated conductive overlayer.

23. An Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) shield for a direct-view display having a direct-view display panel and an outer panel that provides an outer surface for the direct-view display, the EMI shield comprising a first EMI shield and a second EMI shield,

the first EMI shield comprising:

a first conductive mesh including a first array of gaps therein, the first conductive mesh configured to shield at least some of the EMI that is emitted by the direct-view display panel; and

an optical redirecting structure that is configured to redirect at least some optical radiation that is emitted from the direct-view display panel that would strike the first conductive mesh, through the first array of gaps in the conductive mesh;

the first EMI shield being configured to mount between the direct-view display panel and the outer panel such that the optical redirecting structure is adjacent the direct-view display panel and the first conductive mesh is remote from the direct-view display panel;

the second EMI shield comprising;

a second conductive mesh including a second array of gaps therein, the second conductive mesh configured to shield at least some of the EMI that is emitted by the direct-view display panel; and

the second EMI shield being free of an optical redirecting structure that is configured redirect at least some optical radiation that is emitted from the direct-view display panel that would strike the second conductive mesh, through the second array of gaps in the second conductive mesh.

24. An EMI shield according to claim 23 wherein the first and second conductive meshes include different ratios of gap area to mesh area.

25. An EMI shield according to claim 23 wherein the one of the first conductive mesh or the second conductive mesh consists of an array of horizontally oriented conductors and the other of the first conductive mesh or the second conductive mesh consists of an array of vertically oriented conductors.

26. An EMI shield according to claim 23 wherein the first and/or second conductive mesh comprises a base conductive layer and an overlayer conductive layer.

27. An EMI shield according to claim 26 wherein the base conductive layer is a plating base conductive layer and wherein the overlayer conductive layer is a plated conductive overlayer.

28. An EMI shield according to claim 23 wherein the optical redirecting structure comprises an array of optical microstructures.

29. An EMI shield according to claim 28 wherein the array of optical microstructures defines a nonplanar surface, the EMI shield further comprising:

a cladding layer on the nonplanar surface of the optical microstructures, the cladding layer including a planar surface opposite the nonplanar surface of the optical microstructures.

30. An EMI shield according to claim 29 wherein the cladding layer has different index of refraction than the optical micro structures.

31. An EMI shield according to claim 28 further comprising:

a substrate having first and second opposing sides;

wherein the array of optical microstructures is on the first side of the substrate; and

wherein the first conductive mesh is on the second side of the substrate.

32. An EMI shield according to claim 31 further comprising:

a bonding substrate on the array of optical microstructures opposite the substrate; and

an adhesive layer on the bonding substrate that is configured to mount the first EMI shield between the direct-view display panel and the outer panel.

33. An EMI shield according to claim 29 further comprising:

a substrate having first and second opposing sides, wherein the array of optical microstructures is on the first side of the substrate and wherein the first conductive mesh is on the second side of the substrate;

a bonding substrate on the cladding layer opposite the substrate; and

an adhesive layer on the bonding substrate that is configured to mount the first EMI shield between the direct-view display panel and the outer panel.

34. An EMI shield according to claim 28 wherein the array of optical microstructures includes an adhesive surface that is configured to mount the first EMI shield between the direct-view display panel and the outer panel.

35. An EMI shield according to claim 23 further comprising an adhesive layer that is configured to mount the EMI shield between the direct-view display panel and the outer panel.

36. An EMI shield according to claim 23 wherein the direct-view display panel is a plasma or cathode ray tube display panel.

37. An EMI shield according to claim 23 in combination with the direct-view display panel and the outer panel that provides an outer surface for the direct-view display, wherein the EMI shield is mounted between the direct-view display panel and the outer panel.